‘Alexa+ is more conversational’: Amazon execs on bringing AI-powered assistant to India

Amazon's Alexa has evolved from a device for controlling smart devices to a more conversational AI-powered assistant. Michele Butti, Vice President, Alexa International, described the experience as "very different" from the previous version, stating that conversational AI allows users to ask longer, more complex questions without using the wake word every time.

The new Alexa+, or Alexa+, is available in India as an opt-in feature for English, Hindi, and Hinglish on Echo Show devices, with a standalone subscription for non-Prime users. It is powered by generative AI, which allows it to engage in longer conversations and understand context better than before. The voice assistant is fine-tuned for Indian homes, taking into account the country's diverse languages, colloquialisms, and voice patterns.

This ensures that Alexa can adapt to users' preferences and the local context, providing a more personalized experience. The technology behind Alexa+ uses a unique combination of hardware and advanced far-field speech recognition to work effectively even when the device is far away from the user.